Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
722. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will roll out WALK employment across the State to ensure that young people with intellectual disabilities finishing post-primary school have opportunities for training and employment after school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11726/24]
View answerMy department provides a number of supports to assist young people with disabilities into training and employment, which include the WorkAbility Programme, Early Engagement and EmployAbility.
The WorkAbility: Inclusive Pathways to Employment Programme is a successor to the Ability programme and runs from January 2024 to December 2028. This programme is co-funded by the European Social Fund Plus.
The WorkAbility Programme is aimed at people with disabilities aged 16+ who are in the labour market or are currently not work ready and/or are distant from the labour market. It supports projects that provide progressive pathways into education, training and employment, including self-employment, for participants based on their needs, their abilities and their potential. Through engagement in training and personal development activities, the WorkAbility Programme aims to bring people with disabilities, in particular young people with disabilities, closer to the world of work to help ensure that they realise their employment ambitions. The programme aims to support up to 13,000 disabled people progress their employment ambitions over its lifetime.
The Walkinstown Association For People With An Intellectual Disability (WALK) Company is one of 52 projects funded by my Department under the WorkAbility programme. WorkAbility funds projects at a local and community level and does not fund national programmes. These projects are standalone projects under this measure and are required to demonstrate they are not duplicating existing employment support schemes for people with disabilities.
However, my Department has a number of employment programmes for people with disabilities, available nationally. For example, 23 EmployAbility contracted service providers across the State provide bespoke employment services for disabled people.
In addition, under the Early Engagement Initiative, the Intreo Employment Service is actively engaging with people with disabilities at the earliest opportunity, on a proactive and voluntary basis, to offer them access to employment supports to assist them in achieving their employment ambitions. Since the commencement of early engagement some 23,00 customers in receipt of a Disability Allowance payment were contacted with approximately 14,000 people speaking to an Employment Personal Adviser about employment services. Outcomes from the end of 2023 indicate that 54% of those contacted approximately engaged with the Employment Services.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
